Love Under Fire
by aDiLi
Summary: Sam's in trouble. What will Jack do and how will it affect them.
1. Chapter 1

O'Neill was sitting by his desk in the Pentagon

O'Neill was sitting by his desk in the Pentagon. Before him were spread many classified cases which he had stopped being occupied with a while ago. Now his eyes were focused on a certain spot on the wall ahead of him. He'd been reflecting on a matter that seemed to be very amusing to him for a smile had appeared on his lips.

"General O'Neill, sir?" said a voice next to him that brought him back to reality from his thoughts.

"General," the voice repeated. "You have a phone call waiting for you from General Landry." It was his assistant. "

"Thanks Mike," O'Neill said.

"Sir!" The young soldier saluted and left the office.

O'Neill picked up the phone. "Hank! How are you, you old coot?"

"I'm okay, umm...Jack?"

Suddenly there was a silence on the other side of the line. It seemed as though Landry was picking his words very carefully, to say the least. It was enough to send a stream of shivers up and down Jack's spine and he understood that something was definitely wrong. As the General started speaking, he had Jack's full attention.

"Jack, I thought you would like to know that SG1 has fallen to one of Ba'al traps while on a normal recon mission. I sent SGs 3 and 5 after them. There is still no news of their situation but they are scheduled to return very soon…"

"I'm on my way to the base," Jack interrupted with a concerned look on his face. "Thanks Hank," he added and quickly left his office.

"Incoming traveler, incoming traveler!" announced Sergeant Harriman as the Stargate began its movement.

"Is it SGs 3 and 5?" asked Gen. Landry as he entered the control room.

"Still no signal sir...wait! It's SG3's signal sir, they are under heavy fire!"

"Defense teams stand by! They're coming in under fire, watch our men!" called the General to the defense teams inside the gate room.

"We're coming in!" SG3's leader shouted into the radio.

"Copy that... we're ready. Medical teams to the gate room, stat!" yelled Landry to the loudspeaker system as gunfire came from the Stargate. Suddenly, all members of teams 3 and 5 entered with Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c, both injured. When the last man came through the gate Landry gave the order to close the iris soon followed by the sergeant's announcement of "closing the iris". Gen. Landry immediately went down to the gate room.

"Sir, we rescued Dr. Jackson and Teal'c, they both require medical attention, and some of my men are also suffering from minor injuries," reported Colonel Reynolds.

"Take them to the infirmary. What about Col. Carter?"

"We assume she's been captured by Ba'al. When we arrived we saw Dr. Jackson and Teal'c lying on the ground. We started to treat them when a group of Jaffa came at us in a frontal attack. Apparently both men were left there as bait."

"Do you have an idea when or how she's been captured?"

"From what we figured from the locals," he continued "Col. Carter was taken aboard Ba'al's ship, which landed on the planet. We had neither the access to the place nor the time to get to the ship. Sir, the whole place is heavily fortified".

There was a long silence then somebody said, "Then we find a way in!!" It was Gen. Jack O'Neill.

"Jack, you arrived sooner than I had expected you to."

"How are Daniel and Teal'c?" he said, while turning his head from Gen. Landry to Dr. Lam, who had just entered with her medical team. "Teal'c is suffering from internal injuries and Dr. Jackson has a broken wrist and some flesh wounds," said Dr. Lam. "What does Ba'al want from Col. Carter?" He asked.

"We couldn't figure it out, sir," said Reynolds.

"Okay colonel, go to the infirmary and get yourselves checked, debriefing in one hour. Jack, may I have a word with you please?" Jack nodded with the same expression of worry on his face.

"Jack," started Landry "I know you are worried and we will do our very best to save Col. Carter".

"I know, that's why I'm joining this mission."

"Jack, you know I can't allow that with everything that has happened… the only reason I told you is because you've asked me to give updates on what is going on here, and I knew that news of your former teammates would be very important to you, that's it…""Hank!" "I…" started Landry, but as soon as he saw the look Jack gave him, he stopped.

"Hank, I have to go out there, no one in this base knows Ba'al's facility better than me!"

"I didn't say…" Gen. Landry looked at Jack amazed. "I didn't expect anything else Hank, he is using her to get to me."

Landry bent his head for a moment and said, "That's another reason why you shouldn't go over there. It only proves the fact that this is a trap…"

"Right, and that's exactly why we'll be able to prevent it..."

"Jack, I…" But before Landry could say another word he already got from Jack's eyes that there was nothing he, or anybody else for that matter, could do to change his mind. "Fine Jack, the moment SGs 3 and 5 return from the infirmary you will join them at the debriefing."

"Thanks Hank," O'Neill looked at him with a grateful smile on his face.

"Col. Reynolds, please describe for us the situation on that planet" Col. Reynolds got up from his seat and started speaking. "After we had picked up Daniel and Teal'c we had a significant number of Jaffa on our tails. I suppose that if we go there again they will be waiting for us at the gate."

"How many will be waiting for us at the fortress?" asked O'Neill.

"About fifteen were patrolling the territory but I'm sure there are many more."

Gen. Landry passed his gaze between Col. Reynolds and Gen. O'Neill with an obvious look of concern on his face. "Jack, I'm not sure about all this, this is hostile territory you're getting into with lots of Jaffa hanging around… it's not that I don't want to rescue Col. Carter but…"

Before he could finish O'Neill said, "It'll work!! We've been through this kind of stuff before, we have Intel on the outside of the fortress and no one knows its inside better than me!"

"Okay, okay… fine Jack, you won but I still need to do something about the Jaffa waiting for you at the gate, or this rescue mission will become a slaughter!"

"Why don't we use missiles?" suggested Daniel Jackson who was standing at the door of the debriefing room. "Dr. Jackson, you should be in the infirmary recovering."

"Yea, I get that a lot," he said and gave Jack a very meaningful look.

Jack, at his side, grinned slightly and said "I didn't expect it to come from you, space monkey, but it can work, it's been done before."

Landry passed his look from Jack to Daniel and nodded in agreement. "Sergeant! I need two missiles with a GPS capability brought to the gateroom ASAP! Jack, get your team ready, you're leaving at 1800 hours."


	2. Chapter 2

The teams were standing at the base of the ramp when the missiles were put in place

The teams were standing at the base of the ramp when the missiles were put in place. Siler looked up from his work. "General, the missiles are ready sir."

"Thank you sergeant," Landry said, nodding. "Walter, dial the gate".

"Yes sir. Chevron one encoded… chevron two encoded..."

While Walter was announcing the Stargate's status, Landry addressed Gen. O'Neill. "Jack, I'm sending SG12 with you, you will need someone to guard the gate while you're gone".

"Thanks Hank," said Jack while looking at the opening gate.

"Chevron seven is locked," announced Walter "Send in the missiles," ordered Landry.

"Direct hit sir, targets have been destroyed," said Walter a few minutes later.

"Send in the MALP," called Landry. "Sir, the MALP confirms the hit, the gate is clear."

"Thanks chief. Well Jack I guess it is time to go," Landry gave him a smile "Bring her back home. SGs 3, 5 and 12, you have a go"

As they went through the gate O'Neill addressed SG12's commander. "Capt. Johnson secure the gate, contact every hour. If we're not back by zero-hundred hours go back to Earth".

"Yes sir!" He saluted and went to debrief his men. "The ship is mostly hidden by the forest," said Lt. Richards as they were going into the woods. "However," continued Richards "the locals showed us an easy way in, in case we need to get to the ship undetected".

"Good job lieutenant, time to use the element of surprise"

"I don't think they are going to be very surprised giving the fact that…"

"Then we'll make them surprise lieutenant!" said O'Neill and raised an eyebrow.

At first they moved slowly, the forest was very dense and Jack understood why Richards had preferred to go back to the gate.

"I guess that's where you found Daniel and Teal'c," he said while pointing with the gun towards the trees and bushes around them which looked like they've been hit by staff weapons and p-90's.There were also the bodies of many dead Jaffa lying around.

"Yea, I can't say we weren't expecting them but they did catch us by surprise. I assume Daniel and Teal'c were left here to draw us to them. Luck was definitely on our side that day." When they finally got to the ship, they found it covered with vegetation, which made finding the entrance much more difficult.

"This way, sir," Lt. Richards said, pointing. "Ba'al already knows we're here, we weren't too quiet when we arrived," said O'Neill, then he addressed SG3's commander, "Lt. Mathews, you and your men will secure the entrance to the ship, we will probably retreat under heavy fire and I want to keep that door opened when we get here."

"Yes sir!" said Mathews and with that O'Neill and SG5 entered the ship .As O'Neill expected, a loud alarm greeted them as they went into the ship.

"Now it's my turn," said Jack quietly while they were moving inside the ship. He remembered this place all too well. It was a very bad memory from the time he was forced to be implanted with a symbiot in order to save his life. It eventually led him to be captured and awfully tortured by Ba'al.

"The prisoners are held deep inside the ship, I'm certain we'll find Col. Carter there," said Jack. Lt. Richards didn't say anything and nodded.

"We need to…" Jack started but voices and flashes from staff weapons interfered with his words. Three Jaffa appeared before them in one of the corners they were approaching but after few minutes of exchanging fire there was silence.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Jack and was answered with a chorus of "Yes" behind him.

"Good, after me everybody, it's not very far". A few minutes later they encountered a bigger group of Jaffa and the fire exchanged was heavier. It was a couple of minutes before the two Jaffa left were down, Jack felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, it has been scorched a bit, but luckily he wasn't hurt significantly.

"Damn! I told them we need sleeves with these vests!" he said between his teeth as they entered a big chamber with four rooms equal in their size. "It's here!" he announced and they spread to look for Col. Carter.

"She's here!" he heard a voice behind him.

"But how…?" said Richards at the sight of the room.

"These rooms have a different gravity or something and it will change when we turn this thing," Jack explained and pointed at a round thing on the wall.

They looked at Carter, who was lying on the cell's floor. "She is too far from the ground and will be hit severely when we'll change the gravity," Richards said. "But I'm afraid we'll have to take the risk or we won't have a way to get her out of there." Jack nodded in agreement but the obvious expression on his face indicated his dislike for the situation.

Once they changed the gravity they heard a soft thud as Sam's body hit the ground and with a small sigh Jack hurried towards her. He knelt by her side and checked her status. His fear increased as he saw that she was unconscious and badly bruised. Suddenly she opened her eyes and with a dazed expression on her face she yelled "I don't know anything! You won't get anything out of me!!" but a moment later she returned to her previous posture and lay unconscious in Jack's arms.

Gen. O'Neill stared at her for long moments, then jumped at the sound of Richards' voice. "We're not alone!" Jack took Sam in his arms and carried her to where his men were.

"Two ahead and two at the back, maintain a close structure!" Jack ordered above the sounds of shooting as he tried to protect both himself and Sam's helpless body. The sounds suddenly stopped but their progress remained surprisingly slow.

"Lt. Mathews," whispered Jack into the radio. "We are close to your position and need some help." Mathews confirmed with a quick "yes sir".

They kept moving, but suddenly encountered another group of Jaffa which appeared before them. Before the shooting began they received a radio massage saying

"Let's surround them with both sides". A second later the heard staff weapon blasts being shot and as planned SG3 joined the battle. Minutes later, the shooting stopped and they got to the entry to Ba'al's ship.

"Any trouble?" Jack asked Mathews.

"Two patrols but no problem."

"Good, now we need to get through the forest. Hell, this is like a bad computer game!" Inside the woods their progress was still slow. The only thing that consoled Jack was that the chances of meeting patrolling Jaffa were decreasing each passing moment for the forest was very dense. It was a slow and quiet walk.

"Sir, do you need any help?" asked Lt. Richards but got no comment from Jack, who kept walking with a tight expression on his face. His concern for Sam grew with every passing moment. When they finally came out of the woods they could hear shots being fired, and SG3 ran to help the surrounded members of SG12.

Two death gliders passed above them as Jack gathered all his remaining strength and yelled "This is our only chance to go through the gate!"SG5's men together with Jack ran towards the gate while SGs 12 and 3 kept shooting at the Jaffa. They were all covering Richards as he was dialing the address to earth.

"Sir, I'm receiving SG5's iris code," announced Walter when the gate was activated. "They are under fire," he said as Gen, Landry stood next to his left.

"Here we go again…open the iris. Defense teams stand by!!" After few moments of only staff weapon shots getting through the gate, the SG teams started coming through. As the last one got through Landry ordered

"Close the iris, medical teams to the gate room, stat!!"

Jack O'Neill said nothing, instead he hurried towards the infirmary still holding Sam in his arms. "What's her condition?" asked Dr. Lam, following Jack's steps.

"I don't know she's been unconscious for two hours now," he replied.

"Any known trauma?" she asked as he lay Sam on one of the beds.

"She hit the ground really bad when we tried to rescue her."

Dr. Lam raised an eyebrow and indicated the small holes in the front of Sam's shirt. "Do you know what caused those?"

"Ba'al uses acid for torture."

"But…" she shot Jack a questioning look, seeing no visible wounds beneath the holes. Jack nodded and continued his explanation.

"He puts his subject in a sarcophagus to heal them afterwards," he said and looked at Sam's face for long moments in silence.

"Well, it seems like that must have healed any serious injuries, but she will need a couple of days of rest. I want to make sure that there is no concussion or internal injuries which I can't detect at the moment. Meanwhile, I'll go check on SGs 3, 5 and 12 and send someone to treat that burn of yours."

Her eyes rested briefly on his wounded shoulder and then she left the room. Jack continued to stare at Sam's face for a long moment. He'd forgotten completely about his own injury; there was something far more important to worry about right now. A nurse came in a short while later, tended to his shoulder then left again.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack moved to sit on the nearest bed to Sam's

Jack moved to sit on the nearest bed to Sam's. Minutes passed and Jack's eyelids became heavy. Finally he slipped into a calm sleep, waking a short while later when Daniel touched his shoulder.

"Jack, you have a room in this base, go to bed and get some rest. I'll take over your place. She'll be fine." He looked down at Sam.

"I know, but I'd rather stay here for a while longer."

"You sure?"

"Yea," he said shortly and his eyes had gazed back on Sam's closed eyes. "How are Teal'c and the rest of the men?"

"Teal'c is better and he will be able to leave the infirmary in a couple of days. The others have some minor injuries but I can see that you are the one who got injured." He pointed at his friend's bad shoulder.

"Nah, that's nothing. Say, why didn't Col. Mitchell go on the mission with you guys?"

"Oh, he took a special vacation since his grandmother got hospitalized a week ago".

"Oh, is she okay?"

"I don't know, he didn't say much when he left. So, are you staying here?" he asked.

"Yea," Jack answered shortly.

"Fine then, I'll be back later," he said and with no further discussion he left the room, leaving Jack alone with Sam. Suddenly Jack heard a movement next to him from Sam's direction.

"De ja vu," she said.

"What?!" he asked with an obvious confused expression.

"It's the second time I wake up and find you sitting there."

A light smile spread over his face and with eyes full of tenderness he asked "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." His smile widened in response to hers.

"How are Daniel and Teal'c?" she asked with a more serious tone of voice.

"Daniel's fine, he broke his hand, Teal'c needs to stay in here for a little while but he'll be fine. However you will have to stay for observation a bit longer."

"What?! But I…" she started but he cut her off.

"The doc says that for now she can't know if you have some internal injuries so she wants you to stay here for further observation."

"But I feel fine! My muscles are a bit sore but other than that…" she started to rise but he stopped her right away.

While holding her firmly by her shoulder their eyes met and they looked at each other for a moment. She felt as if he was trying to tell her something but instead he let go of her and said "Aahh... Umm... Dr. Lam wants you to rest. You're in a sensitive situation…"

"But…"

"Carter! I'll make it an order if I have to!" She smiled with appreciation for his concern.

"Yes sir, but I think I'd rather pass those days at home."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You sure you don't have anything to study? You don't have any doohickeys needed to be played with?" she laughed and he said "Don't take any unnecessary chances, I want you to heal properly."

"No guaranties." she said and he smiled.

"Take care of yourself."

She smiled as well. "I will."

He looked at her for a moment longer and with the famous Jack O'Neill smile that he knew he saved only for her, he left her to rest.

Sam was sitting at her house listening to music from the little radio resting on the table near her bed. Her muscles still bothered her but she felt better and was scheduled to return to the base by the end of the week. It was late in the afternoon, yet she was a bit tired, when she heard the doorbell ring. She got up and went towards the door in order to see who it was.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Sam, it's us," said Daniel's voice behind the closed door. She opened it and saw Daniel, Teal'c and, to her surprise, Jack standing in her doorway.

"Oh hey guys, come in." When they all were seated on the couch and wooden chairs they started talking. At first it was just small talk but when old private jokes reappeared and they started laughing at and with each other it soon felt like in the old days. It was only when one of them glimpsed at their watch that they found out it was late and was time to go home.

They reminded each other that it has been too long since they all gathered together like this and that they should do it more often. When the last one of her friends left, she closed the door and went to clean up the living room since she knew tomorrow she won't have the time to. She had barely picked up the bottle Daniel dropped when Jack told one of his jokes, when she heard knocks on her door.

At first she thought she imagined them and ignored them, but when they were heard again she went to the door and asked, the second time that evening, "Who is it?"

"Umm… it's me." It was Jack.

She opened the door and asked, "Sir, is everything alright? Did you forget something?"

"Umm… no." she looked at him with interest and he asked, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure," she said with an embarrassed giggle wondering why she didn't invite him in the first place.

"I need to tell you something," he began as he walked into the room he sat in a few moments ago.

"Oh?! What is it?" He turned to face her and looked right into her blue, questioning eyes.

"I quit," he said with a small grin.

"What?" she asked not sure if she heard him right.

"I quit," he repeated, with an odd glimmer in his eyes. She felt a shiver she never experienced before while their eyes met, again, in a penetrating look.

"So, what's that mean?"

"It means…" he said walking slowly towards her as she felt her heart beating faster and faster. "It means that I can't live without you any second longer," he continued while his hand moved a strand of hair from her face to behind her ear, his gaze penetrating the deepest parts of her soul.

"It means that I…" now both of his hands cupped her face as her heart threatened to burst out of her while she listened to the words she longed to hear for years but never got out, couldn't get out. "I…" In his touch she could feel his own heart racing. "Sam, I love you!"

Those words, hearing her name so tender on his lips never got close to what she imagined and dreamed it would be like. Their eyes never left each other, her hand now cupping his face, holding and caressing it. "Oh Jack! I love you too! More than I ever dreamed was possible."

And with that he leaned towards her, slowly, and could see her eyes darting between his eyes and his mouth. Then their lips met, for the first time, after nine long years, painful, full of secret craving, longing and desire. At first it was soft, but the kiss soon grew more passionate yet sweet, demanding yet gentle, seeming to never end. They explored each other's mouths, wishing to discover the secrets that have been held in them through all that time, while hands explored and caressed bodies, needed to be touched, drawing the two closer and tighter, while sending shivers and trails of fire through both of their backs.

Tongues were fighting for control finding the spots that made the other whimper, moan and sigh of pleasure. Never wanting to stop and willing to prolong this moment forever, they were forced eventually to come up for much needed air. So, not leaving the other's embrace, they broke the kiss and gasped and fought to get their breathing under control.

They went to sit down on the couch, hugging and holding each other for dear life, neither wanting to let go of this moment that was like a dream they didn't want to wake up from. "Jack?" she said suddenly, her voice breaking the magical silence. She only now was aware of how new his name sounded on her lips as she pronounced it with so many emotions in her voice; she never believed she could have for another person. "Yes?" he asked, his strong, muscular arms holding he tight and warmly as she rested softly against his chest. "I love this."

"What?"

"This, being here, with you holding me like that. Had you only known how much I've dreamed of this..." she said and rested even deeper against him.

"I suppose not as long as I have," he said and kissed her softly. She couldn't believe her ears. It was as if she died and went to heaven where all her dreams about him and longing for him to say those words had come true. They sat this way for long hours, looking each other in the eyes that mirrored their feelings, whispering love words each one secretly hoped to hear and had hid them from the world, and sometimes even themselves, for so long.

When the clock rang three times they realized how late it was, and was then when Jack said "I'd better go."

"Why?" Sam asked, worried that he'd regretted what they were doing, and rose from his embrace. "Because you need to rest," he said shortly, his hand caressing her cheek.

"Then stay with me...please...?" She asked and was still holding him, refusing to let go.

"Honey, only God knows how much I'd like to stay but we both have things to do tomorrow. And besides, if you don't rest, how will you have the strength to come over to my place tomorrow for dinner?" he said with a mischievous grin on his lips.

"You're cooking?" she asked with an expression of doubt on her face.

"You don't think I'm up for it?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You'll need a heck of a lot of beer," she teased.

"Hey!" he laughed.

"Oh Jack! I love you so much."

"And I love you, my beautiful blonde, blue eyed angel," he responded while getting up on his feet and asked "Walk me to the door?"

"Sure," she answered.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah sure ya bet cha!" She said with a smile.

As they got to the door he put his hand on her cheek, his fingers caressing her skin. "Bye Sam."

"Bye Jack," she said, putting her hand on his and closing her eyes to the feeling of pleasure his touch was making her feel. They stood like that for a moment absorbing the past hours' events. He then turned around, went towards his truck and with final glimpse at her he turned on his ignition and drove off from her house. She stood there and watched his car drive away until it vanished. Then she went inside and smiled at herself with confidence that she won't fall asleep until she sees him again.


	4. Chapter 4

From the moment she woke up her mind was occupied with one thing and one thing only; Jack O'Neill

From the moment she woke up her mind was occupied with one thing and one thing only; Jack O'Neill. It made it harder to concentrate and she was finding her self looking at the watch more often than ever. As the evening approached she went to her room and after long minutes of scanning her closet she picked a stunning black dress with a scooping neckline that would show plenty of cleavage; she now knew she could afford wearing it in front of the love of her life.

Shortly she was on her way to Jack's house. She parked her car near Jack's driveway and waited a couple of minutes in her car before she approached his door. She was about knock on the door when it suddenly opened up and she saw Jack standing there with black jeans and a classy-Jack-O'Neill light blue t-shirt.

_'He looks so handsome and oh God is this man sexy!' _She thought to her self as she arrived at his doorway and he neared her while looking into her eyes.

"I've been thinking of you all day," he finally said after a few long seconds, then gently kissed her lips.

"As was I," she said with a smile.

"Come in," he said and led her into his house. As she entered his home she noticed the table he'd set up with candles on it. As a military man and a closed person who doesn't let his guard down and his feeling show very often, she was surprised to find out how romantic he could be. He suddenly went behind her and gave her flowers he hid behind his back.

"Oh Jack! You shouldn't have!" she said and felt her cheeks blushing.

"If not for you, love, then for whom? I'm just sorry I couldn't give them to you earlier..."She turned around and embraced him.

"Sit down," he said. "I'll go get…"

"Beer?" she teased.

"Hey! Don't even go there! Do you know how much trouble it took me to pull all of this off?!" he said smiling as she sat on the couch waiting for him to arrange the table for eating. Shortly afterwards they sat down to eat and spent the meal chitchatting about whatever came up.

After they had finished their, surprisingly tasty food to Sam's opinion, Jack held out his hand to her and said, "Shall we dance my lady?"

"Yes we shall," she said taking his hand and they swayed to Bryan Adams' "When You Love Someone". They could see the reflection of their feelings in each other's eyes.The song then ended and he took her hand, leading her out to sit on his porch and watch at the darkening sky with the shining stars.

"We've been to them all…" Sam said, breaking the silence.

"Almost," Jack pointed out smiling as he pulled her into his lap.

"Of course we can't see all of them but…"

"Sam…" he interfered as he saw some of her techno-babbling coming.

"Sorry… old habit," she said as she hugged him closer.

"Sam," he said with a suddenly serious expression on his face while his hand was searching for something. And then she saw it; the dark blue box he was holding in his hand.

As though on cue she heard BoyZone singing in the background while he knelt before her.

"_If I asked would you say yes?_

_Together we're the very best_

_And I'll give you my best_

_Every day I love you..." _

"Samantha Carter, will you make me the happiest man on the face of this earth and marry me?" Tears were forming in her eyes as he got to his feet. "Well?" he asked with eyes full of anticipation. She said nothing. Instead she threw herself at him and hugged him. He held her hand and asked

"Is that a yes?" while he was taking the gorgeous diamond ring out of the box.

"Yes! Yes!! Oh GOD Jack, a thousand times yes!!" He put the ring on her trembling finger and kissed her passionately. They sat back down in each other's embrace looking at the stars.

"Sam..." said Jack suddenly.

"Hmmm?" she asked with a sleepy voice.

"We'll need a cake."

"Oh Jack…" she said and tightened her hold at him.

"So let me get this straight," said Daniel while he helped Jack to put his jacket on. "You weren't in the military for all this time and you never told me?!"

"The papers were only officially confirmed two weeks ago," Jack replied.

"Oh. Wait a minute, it means two days before you went to rescue Sam..."

"Officially, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been able to join the mission but I talked to Hank and he eventually agreed that I could go along."

"Which means that you gave him no other choice…?"

"Yup… exactly…" said Jack with a wide grin on his face. The two men walked towards the lovely garden where all the wedding guests were seated. Jack and Daniel joined Teal'c and Cameron at the front as the music started. Cassie, Sam's maid of honor, approached the altar slowly. Jack and Sam were like parents to her since Janet died and she couldn't think of any two people who deserved each other and were fit for one another like the two of them. She arrived at the altar and stood to Jack's right.

When the "Here Comes the Bride" melody started to intensify Daniel whispered in Jack's ear, "When did you plan all of this?" And when Sam started walking down the isle with that pure white beautiful dress he answered, "From the first moment I saw her."

A broad smile had spread over his face as he looked at the woman of dreams, the owner of his heart, the mother of his future children and the love of his life walking towards him with that big smile on her face he knew was saved only for him. She looked more beautiful than ever. As she stood next to him their eyes locked for a long moment though when the priest started talking they turned to look at him

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to this man and this woman in the holy matrimony. Jack, do you have the rings?"

"Yeah," he smiled and looked at Sam.

"Shall we begin then?" they both nodded. "Samantha Carter, do you take this man, Jonathan O'Neill, to be your lawful wedded husband to protect and cherish him for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, until death do you part?"

And with glimmering eyes holding the tears back she said "I do."

"And you, Jonathan O'Neill, do you take this woman, Samantha Carter, to be your lawful wedded wife to protect and cherish her for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, until death do you part?" He looked at her with utter love and devotion in his eyes and said "I do."

"Jack, please put the ring on Samantha's finger." And he did so without pulling his gaze from hers. "Samantha, please put the ring on Jack's finger." She repeated Jack's actions with eyes full of tears she could no longer hold back. "Good, if anyone protests this holy union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

With trembling bodies they looked around and when no one spoke, the priest said "Jonathan O'Neill, Samantha Carter, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife in this life which you will share together may your individuality make your love stronger. Jack, you may kiss the bride."

"Oh God! I thought you'd never ask!" And he bent down, wrapping his arms around her and dipping her just as he did when he was trapped in the time loop, and pressed his mouth to hers for a long moment. This time the kiss was soft and filled with all those little nuances, which had revealed to them by chance through all these years, full of hints for the future and with love so great that even death itself will not be able to break.

THE END…

LIKE IT OR NOT, TELL ME WNYWAY…


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